08/11/2026
One of my jobs at Heronswood is planning and putting together a handful of our events and our annual Hydrangea Festival is one of them. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase the collection.
Most importantly, it has a wonderful ability to draw in a broader audience so I always have to find ways to “PUT ON A SHOW!”
Given our very small staff and limited resources, we have to get creative, which means reaching out to the community and see if they have the interest and the capacity to help see you through your vision.
Not only did the staff do their thing, we had such help and support for this event from Nancy Heckler (who we named a hydrangea after!) , Richie Steffen (who both helped provide cut material for display) Daniel Hinkley with Daniel J Hinkley who agreed to join us for a panel discussion which included local garden educator Nita-Jo Rountree and Hydrangeas Plus Nursery who has joined us each year since we started this event in 2024 selling both the hard-to-find and tried-and-true selections
What really made the show the best and largest ever was the generous delivery of plant material we got in from Bailey Nurseries and their First Editions Shrubs & Trees and Endless Summer Hydrangeas brands showcasing the newest and latest on the market. They even sent one of their sales representatives to take part in our panel discussion and help answer questions from the general public! On top of that, we had tribal youth come out and help unload the plants when they came in.
Of course we also have our wonderful volunteers to thank and also our two tribal vendors who offered food and beverage and hand-made tribal products (salmon chowder with a berry crisp and a devil’s club salve)
Feeling grateful about where I get to work and the opportunities it has given me . Also I’m just absolutely exhausted
